


What's That Mean?

by von_gelmini



Series: Endearments [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: College Student Peter Parker, Fluff, Foreign Language, Italian Tony Stark, Italy, M/M, Romance, Summer Vacation, Tony Stark Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 23:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/von_gelmini/pseuds/von_gelmini
Summary: The final part of the 'Endearments' series.Peter and Tony have a summer vacation.I'm not sure how to handle the translations. Many are explained in the text. Those that aren't, I've put in the notes at the end.Also... my Italian is 99% long gone from when I took it in college. So I've had to rely on google translate to fill in the gaps. I'm sure a lot of it is wrong, so any Italian speakers are welcome to correct me and I'll make the changes.





	What's That Mean?

It had been the best vacation ever so far. They spent an entire month on Tony’s yacht, which was… Peter couldn’t get over it. It was huge and massively luxurious. There were hot and cold running staff who took care of everything from cooking to helping them with all the water toys. Most of the time the yacht was on rental, so it had a full staff to take care of twelve guests. That month it was just the two of them. So scarcely a towel hit the floor before someone picked it up and made sure there was a new one nearby. Yet despite all that, it felt incredibly private. The most privacy either of them had had in a long time. If they went into a city, they were thronged of course, but they could stay on the yacht out in the middle of the water and never know there was another person in the world.

At the end of the month, they were dropped off in Naples. They spent a couple of nights in a hotel, but the world began intruding fast. Tony hired a cab and paid the driver well enough that he wouldn’t say where he took them. The village it was in was tiny and past a certain point, the driver had to drop them off because it was a historic site and cars weren’t allowed.

Tony was surprised to have people greet him, yet not as if he were Iron Man or Tony Stark. He and Peter looked at each other, confused. 

“_Tu corri. Dillo ad Anna_,” someone said and a boy took off running.

“Don’t look at me, I have no idea,” Tony said to Peter.

His grandmother’s house was a small villa with a beautiful view of the city and the water far below. There was a brilliant blue swimming pool, but most of the modern things, like air conditioning and internet weren’t there. There was already staff there because of course there was. Other than having talent in the kitchen, Tony was a domestic nightmare. 

“I tried putting ac in but it’s impossible to do things here because everything has been declared historic and can’t be changed. Internet though, I’ve got FRIDAY on the phone link so at least there’s a little bit of the 21st century here.”

“It’s been kinda nice not having the online thing. But it’s hot in here.”

Tony laughed. “I remember during summers I pretty much lived by the pool.”

“It’s beautiful though. This is where your mom was raised?”

Tony smiled softly. “Yeah. She left to go to Harvard. She was reading history when she met Howard. Seems like age gap relationships run in the family.” Tony brought Peter’s hand to his lips. 

There might not be air conditioning but there was a doorbell and it rang.

A short woman with long silvering dark hair, dark eyes, and full lips stood there smiling for a moment before she rushed Tony and cupped his face in both hands. “Tony! It really is you. I thought the people you hired were to get the house ready to sell.”

Tony furrowed his brow trying to figure out who the woman was. “Anna?”

She smiled wider. “You remember me?”

“Yeah. I just… I thought you moved away or I don’t know… something I guess.”

“I did move. I got married, had two boys, divorced, and moved back home. The boys are grown and off doing their own thing. It’s just me and nonna… Zia Sofia.”

“Oh god. Is she still alive?”

Anna harrumphed. “The devil already has her job.”

“I had no idea I still had family here.”

Anna laughed. “Half the village claims to be related to Iron Man, the other half to Tony Stark.”

“Come in, out of the door.” Tony was still wide-eyed and shaking his head as they went into the kitchen and sat around the table. “This is my boyfriend, Peter,” he said, once they’d all settled.

“I’ve seen the pictures. You were together at an event… I don’t remember what but nonna is obsessive about keeping your clippings.”

“I had no idea that Tony had any family.” Peter put his hand lightly over Tony’s, stroking the back of it with his thumb. He couldn’t help smiling softly as he saw how happy Tony was. “How are you two related?” 

“We’re cousins,” Anna explained.

“Yeah… My grandfather was Anna’s grandmother’s brother, right?” Tony tried to remember the connections.

“No, my grandmother was married to your grandfather’s brother. There were three sisters as well. So between all of that, like I said, half the village claims to be related to you and probably is in some way.”

Tony shook his head again. “My mom and I… we’d come here for maybe a week or so every couple of years, maybe. It depended on Howard’s schedule and my school schedule. Anna’s a couple years older than me and when we were young, we used to play together. But the last time I came here was when I was doing my master’s and badly needed a brain break. I was here for a long weekend. Only nonna was here, so I figured everyone had moved on, moved away, whatever. And then after… with my mom gone…” Tony shrugged. “I never gave it another thought. When nonna died… I’ve never been much of a believer in funerals… I just had the house closed up.”

“And here it’s sat,” Anna said. “Until about a week ago, people came in and started cleaning. We figured Tony was going to sell the place finally.” She smiled and reached out to pat Tony’s other hand. “Having you back instead is a happy surprise. Why now though?”

“Tony talks to me sometimes in Italian,” Peter explained. “So he said he’d take me here. Not that I understand a word unless he translates it for me,” Peter said laughing. “Chemistry, science, that I understand. Languages? I barely made it through my Spanish requirement in high school. So I just ask Tony,” Peter grinned, “‘what’s that mean?’”

All afternoon was spent with Tony and Anna catching up. A lot of Tony’s life might be public knowledge, but not his actual life. Beyond Iron Man, beyond Tony Stark the image, was someone only Peter got to see. A softer, more open, more true version of Tony. No pretense, no trying to impress, no bragging stories. Just Tony. Peter doubted that anyone, not even Pepper, had ever seen him like this. It was beautiful to watch all of his armor drop. To see what Tony would’ve been like without the pressures of SI or without having become Iron Man. There were times when it nearly moved Peter to tears.

During the mid-afternoon break time, Anna would bring people by. Peter got to meet Zia Sofia. She was ninety years old and spoke not a word of English. Tony would translate little bits of the conversation, ones he thought Peter would be interested in, but that didn’t matter. It was fun trying to put together the intent of her words by her expression and tone. She had a lot to say. Most of it disapproving. Peter could see why Anna had said that the devil already had her job. 

Some people Anna brought Tony remembered easily. With others it was like watching a TV amnesiac regain his memories. Tony had forgotten or blocked out so much of his time here with his mom and her relatives. Many nights were spent with Peter and Tony just talking in bed (after hot and sweaty sex.) Tony’s emotions were raw and on the surface like even Peter had never seen. He talked about how it was whenever Howard wasn’t around. Howard had been such a huge presence in Tony’s life that the memories of him had overwhelmed these softer ones. Tony’s struggle to please him had overwritten the fact that there had been people in his life that he didn’t have to please, who just loved him.

Their late afternoons were spent walking around the village, holding hands, while Tony showed him places where he’d done this or that. Where he kissed his first girl when he was eight. Where he got in trouble for climbing to the top of the scaffolding on the church bell tower and nearly fell when he tried to climb higher, holding on to the crumbling stone. Places where he’d been allowed to just be a kid, not a child prodigy. Once Tony’s memories opened, they flowed like water.

And every evening, it was Peter sitting on the counter stool while Tony cooked dinner for them. And Peter listened to Tony sing. 

Mornings were lazy. Tony and Peter rose untypically early because the sunlight was so bright coming in through the open windows it was impossible to sleep. The cook always had breakfast ready, but it was light, not like a heavy American breakfast. Then they went out to the pool, stretched out on loungers, doing absolutely nothing. Peter was actually getting tanned and Tony’s skin was warm and golden. Peter couldn’t keep his hands off of it for long. The staff often got an eyeful if they were anywhere near. But most mornings were like this one. Laying there, enjoying the warmth of the early morning sun, hands reaching out across the space between the loungers, fingers brushing. Just being together. Just being in love.

“_Mi vuoi sposare amore mio_?” Tony asked casually one morning, not even bothering to open his eyes.

“What does that mean?” Peter laughed. All summer he’d been asking that same question. It had become a joke for them by now.

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“What?” He sat up and looked at Tony who was lying there basking.

“Nope. Not going to tell you.”

“It sounded like a question. How am I supposed to answer it if you don’t tell me?”

“That’s a puzzle, isn’t it?”

“I’ll just google translate it,” Peter said defiantly.

“I think you’ll find that function on your phone blocked.” Tony smirked.

“Anthony…” Peter whined in complaint. “Tell me.”

Tony smiled and shrugged his head to the side. “Seems like you have a problem. You’ll just have to find someone to translate it for you.”

“Nobody here speaks English!”

“There are some. I’m gonna go swimming, you wanna come?”

“Is it an important question?”

Tony nodded. 

“Tell me!”

Tony laughed as he took off his bathrobe and dove into the pool. “Nope. Coming swimming?”

“No!” Peter stormed off in a huff to find someone who would tell him what the words meant.

“_Mi vuoi sposare amore mio_. What does that mean in English?” Peter had asked nearly everyone on the staff and was about to give up when he noticed a maid bringing sheets in off the line. “Tony won’t tell me.” 

“Signor Antonio said I can’t tell you,” the maid said with a sly smile.

“Ugh!” Peter always got the same answer. 

“Why are there so many hills here?” Peter asked rhetorically as he went up yet another street. Everyone he asked in the village either didn’t speak English or repeated the same thing that the maid did, with the same sly smile. It seemed like _ everyone _knew Tony or his family and he’d told them all not to tell Peter the translation.

“There’re so many hills because we’re on a volcano,” a young man said. He was sitting in the cafe which was nearly empty.

“You speak English!” Peter said excitedly. “And Italian?” he asked hopefully.

The man nodded. “Both.”

“Oh thank god. Can you translate something for me?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“_Mi vuoi sposare amore mio_. What does that mean?”

The man laughed. “He sent you on a quest, the man who asked you that question?”

“Yes. And no one will tell me. They all have the same answer: ‘Signor Antonio said I can’t tell you’. It’s driving me crazy!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you either. This Signor Antonio seems determined.”

“You have no idea how stubborn Tony Stark can be when he wants to be. He can out-stubborn the universe.”

“Tony Stark? Zia Carbonell goes on and on about her famous nephew.”

“Yeah, but she’s like ninety and doesn’t speak English.”

“That’s true.” The man chuckled. “Are you sure you want me to tell you?”

“Yes please. He said it’s important.”

“It’s probably the most important question you’ll be asked in your life.”

“Oh. Oh!” Peter collapsed down on the chair opposite the man. “Does it really mean that? What exactly.”

“Exactly? It means ‘will you marry me my love’.” 

Peter started crying, but he grinned underneath the tears. “I should tell him ‘no, I’ll kill you for making me climb all these hills’.”

“That would be: ‘_No, ti ucciderò per avermi fatto scalare tutte queste colline_’.”

Peter laughed. “Like I’d say no to that question. How do I say yes?”

When Peter got back to the villa, Anna was over. She and Tony were cooking. Zia Sofia was sitting at the table. From the tone of her voice, Peter figured she was telling them how they were doing it all wrong.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be back for dinner,” Tony said, smiling as he handed over a chopping board full of cut vegetables.

“You told everyone not to translate it for me.”

“Not everyone. My family doesn’t know _ everyone _ here.” He smiled. “Only _ mostly _ everyone.”

Peter came around the counter and stood in front of Tony. “I should kill you for making me climb all those hills.”

“If you kill me you can’t answer the question.”

“_Sì, ti sposerò_,” Peter said, wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck and kissing him. “_Ti amo_.”

Tony leaned down and kissed Peter tenderly, but probably far too passionately for the company they were in. He dug in his pocket and brought out a beautiful platinum and diamond ring. He took Peter’s hand and slipped it on his finger. “I love you, Peter.”

Peter hugged Tony tightly around his waist and buried his tear streaked face into the crook of his neck. "I love you, Anthony."

Tony’s great-aunt shook her head. “_Ha bisogno di trovare una brava donna e sistemarsi_.”

“_Nonna, Antonio ama Pietro. Sii felice per lui_.” Anna told her grandmother sharply. She turned and gave each of them a hug. “Congratulations. You _ will _ be inviting me to the wedding.”

Tony smiled. “Of course. I never thought I’d have anyone sitting on my side of the aisle.”

“I’ll only have Aunt May,” Peter said, a little sadly. “Everyone else in my family is gone.”

Anna patted him on the shoulder. “Well, there’ll be enough of us that we can spread out on both sides. You’re going to be our family too, Peter.”

Peter leaned up and kissed Tony on the cheek. “Every year, Anthony. You have to bring us back every year.”

“You’ll get bored. There’s nothing to do here.”

“Yes there is. I get to be with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:
> 
> Tu corri. Dillo ad Anna. - You run. Tell Anna.
> 
> Ha bisogno di trovare una brava donna e sistemarsi. - He needs to find a good woman and settle down.
> 
> Nonna, Antonio ama Pietro. Sii felice per lui. - Grandma, Anthony loves Peter. Be happy for him.
> 
> Sì, ti sposerò. - Yes, I will marry you.
> 
> Ti amo. - I love you.
> 
> * * *
> 
> My Starker blog on tumblr is [starker-stories](https://starker-stories.tumblr.com/).  
Come on by and visit.


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